A couple weeks ago, I was talking to a family friend with my mom and he informed us about some unfortunate news; his wife recently had one of her legs amputated due to some health complications. And ever since her leg was amputated, she has not been very optimistic about her situation and recovery.

Her husband told us that she doesn’t put on her prosthetic leg very often and isn’t interested in physical therapy or becoming more active in everyday activities. As he conversed with my mom and me, you can see the concern he had for his wife all over his face.

After he gave us the update, he shrugged his shoulders and let out a great sigh.

“I don’t know what to do to get her to be more positive,” he said. “If you were in her situation, I sure you would be ecstatic if you still could walk.”

Our friend had a good point. I would give almost anything to walk again, but we all deal with pain and loss differently. He continued to talk about her situation and asked how I stayed so positive through all my health problems.

I didn’t really know what to say. Yes, I probably would handle her situation differently, but everything always looks different when your hindsight is 20/20.

When I was first told that I was paralyzed, I was shocked and saddened. While my situation was no laughing matter, I tried to look for something to smile about. In the end, all that mattered was the fact that I was still alive.

If I couldn’t walk, I would use a wheelchair; if I couldn’t do something, I would just ask for help. I wasn’t going to let my disability keep me from the life I wanted. Even though my body was broken, I was still the same person that I was before I got sick. My life may have turned down a path I didn’t want to travel, but if this was my path, I was going to make the best of it.

At the time, our friend asked me if I had any advice for his wife. I simply told him that she just needs to stay positive. Yes, her situation is unfortunate, but it is only her attitude that will make her life seem unlivable. If she keeps thinking that she can’t overcome adversity, that’s exactly what will happen.

Like Sarah Connor always says, “There’s no fate but what we make.”

If you want to live a life worth living, it’s simply up to you. Unless you are the leader of the Resistance and are continuously hunted by futuristic robots, then you may be out of luck.